MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia offered a tour Tuesday of the dazzling Milan Puskar Center with $55 million in renovations nearly completed.
The Puskar Center is home to the football team’s locker room and coaches’ offices and has gone significant upgrades over the last two years.
“We’ve got great momentum in recruiting, and I think this is a reason why,” WVU football coach Neal Brown said. “This gives us a chance to compete.”
Back in January 2019, work began on the Puskar Center, which now has its Hall of Traditions displayed at the main entrance to welcome visitors.
There are no shortage of features for the players, including a barber shop and a lounge with a pool table, ping pong table, a pair of pop-a-shot basketball stations and setups for video gaming systems. There’s also a nap room for players, while construction continues on a studio that will allow for them to produce and record podcasts and music.
“Pop-a-shot was the No. 1 thing the players wanted,” Brown said. “We want them to be here instead of somewhere else.”
The revamped and spacious locker room provides an excess of storage for players and allows them to charge phones, while also featuring updated ventilation. A separate area of the locker room is designed for former Mountaineers playing in the NFL and provides individual lockers for those returning to workout.
“This is important for recruiting, because that’s the future, and also it should be a source of pride for former players and former coaches,” Brown said.
Cryo chambers and light stimulation beds highlight a recovery room, while each positional group has its own spacious room to conduct meetings and watch film.
A full-sized dining area, as well as upgrades to the training room, weight room and academic center help provide a more modern feel.